I don’t have any special insight into what happened to Baird, feel free to make up your own theory involving Washington, D.C., power, hubris, narcissism or whatever. Maybe he just needs to make a change, it happens to the best of folks.

Yes, I have defended Baird quite frequently in the past. You can be assured that will not happen again, and I apologize for being so slow to admit what has been a painfully obvious and disheartening abandonment of both the party and the district by Baird.

As for a Democratic challenger to explore the vast political space now emerging to the left of Baird, a space I believe is inhabited by a majority of his constituents, in my experience truly outstanding insurgent candidates tend to be self-motivating and emerge much to the surprise of party regulars. In short, people can try to recruit candidates, but sometimes candidates need to emerge.

They may be moms in tennis shoes, they may be professors, they may be business folks or labor activists, but somewhere out there could be the person who will give the people of the 3rd District a representative who acts with their interests in mind rather than siding consistently with the ruling kleptocracy.

As one of Baird’s constituents, I have to again note that his district really runs the gamut politically; on the one hand, he’s got us folks in the “Soviet of Olympia”, but the further out into the boonies you go, the more conservative people tend to get; just between Oly and Centralia, the changes are striking. I have and would again vote for someone who goes after Baird from the left, but whoever the GOP comes up with as a challenger is gonna be a major-league wingnut, and draw in a lot of votes.

And it’s not like this is some sudden switch; Baird lost me years ago, with his support for one of those dumbass flag-burning amendments.

Hmmm… Baird reacts to the potential of family farms being destroyed to pay taxes and DeVore doesn’t care. It all about da money! As the Heritage Foundation said the estate tax…

• discourages savings and investment; • undermines job creation; • suppresses productivity and wage growth; • contradicts the central promise of American life: wealth creation; • hurts those who have their savings tied up in land; and • hurts businesses owned by women and African-Americans.

Earlier this year research showed full repeal of the death tax would create 1.5 million jobs. That’s more than Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm and his disciples have created with the failed Porkulus Bill…

Jim McDimWitt votes no and that’s not a problem DeVore? Puddy will come back later for the rabid screams from all the McDimWittcrats like ylb arschloch, Roger Dumb Bunny, SeattleJew, Lee, and all the other leftist goosestepping HA Libtardos.

@5 What a load of bullshit. Here are the FACTS about the inheritance tax vis-a-vis small business:

1. Dead people don’t pay taxes. Living heirs pay this tax.

2. Only multimillion-dollar estates are subject to this tax.

3. Farms are exempt from this tax.

4. Most of these estates consist mostly of previously-untaxed capital gains which, if the inheritance tax is repealed, will never be taxed due to the basis stepup that heirs get.

5. Small businesses aren’t killed by this tax; they’re sold or liquidated because the heirs lack ability/interest to carry on the business.

6. From a fairness standpoint, there’s no reason whatsoever to give heirs a free ride; if the rest of us want to start a business, we have to work for the capital, and capitalize our little businesses with after-tax income.

7. If, however, there’s an actual problem of the inheritance tax interfering with business succession, there’s a simple solution that doesn’t require repealing the tax: Defer the tax until the business is sold or liquidated for cash. What I mean is, if some shmuck inherits a business and turns around and sells it for $20 million, why should he pocket that cash tax-free when the people who work there for $36,000 a year are paying 32.65% on their wages?

This is nothing but another disgusting iteration of the Republican whine that only the “little people” should pay taxes.

In any case, don’t hold your breath waiting for another undeserved tax giveaway to the undeserving rich from a Democratic Congress, because we’re not gonna give it to ya. We have a deficit problem because of the depression and two wars we inherited from you asswipes.

Generally, the fair market value of such interests owned by the decedent are includible in the gross estate at date of death. However, for certain farms or businesses operated as a family farm or business, reductions to these amounts may be available.

In the case of a qualifying Family Farm, IRC §2032A allows a reduction from value of up to $820,000.

If the decedent owned an interest in a qualifying family owned business, a deduction from the gross estate in the amount of up to $1,100,000 may be available under IRC §2057.”

In other news, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, the Virginia socialites who crashed a White House state dinner last month, and whose 2003 wedding reception guest list was top-heavy with Republican luminaries, are being sued for bouncing a $24,000 check for a liquor purchase and are being investigated by Virginia regulators for running an unregistered charity. In addition, in a court appearance yesterday, Mr. Salahi was stripped of a valuable watch to pay a debt owed to a landscaping contractor.

Jon– Here is your current “benchmark” on where the Progressive Movement stands— This is where your Leader currently is Jon.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows that 26% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -14.

Seems like every time your leader gives one of his speeches, it gets worse. Seems like whenever your leader has a contrived summit, it gets worse. From +32 post Inauguration…to this -14.

Progressivism = Marxism. It is being rejected Jon. The feel-good Utopianism is legally dead Jon. Give it up. Get Goldy & ylb real jobs at Burger King….or beat the preverbial Dead horse…. My guess is the dead horse is where you KLOWNS long to be. Keep busy Jon.

Cynical dreams of an America ran entirely by corporations. He is almost there….

Bush never even breathed in Wall Street’s direction, except to make sure they were never investigated. Now Cynical is delighted that Obama is having trouble cleaning up the mess. Obama is “unpopular” when he has to go against the Right Wing Lying Noise Machine, Corporate Scum, Corporate Controlled Media, and people that call themselves “Conservatives” who are less intelligent than my dog.

“Generally, the fair market value of such interests owned by the decedent are includible in the gross estate at date of death. However, for certain farms or businesses operated as a family farm or business, reductions to these amounts may be available. In the case of a qualifying Family Farm, IRC §2032A allows a reduction from value of up to $820,000. If the decedent owned an interest in a qualifying family owned business, a deduction from the gross estate in the amount of up to $1,100,000 may be available under IRC §2057.”

Okay, so what does that actually translate into? According to FactCheck.org, of 18,800 taxable estates in 2004, only 440 (2%) consisted primarily (i.e., 50% or more) of business or farm assets. None of these estates were worth less than $1 million, and for the 190 worth less than $2 million (43% of the total taxed estates), the average tax paid was a measly 1.6%. For all estates under $3.5 million, the average tax was 7.5%.

Roger Rabbit Commentary: It’s a fact that family farms and businesses are all but exempt from estate taxes, and it’s also a fact that what breaks up family farms and businesses is not estate taxes but lack of succession. Don’t believe the Republican propaganda! They just want to load all the tax burden on wage slaves so they can get a free ride.

@17 Puddy dreams of an America in which only Democrats pay taxes. Ain’t gonna happen. I’m not worried about the Rightwing Noise Machine’s attacks on Obama. Most people in this country are hurting, and know damn well who screwed them. Why would anyone except the klepto class vote Republican?

Spitzer looked at prosecuting some of the Wall Street scum, and look what happened to him. It’s not like he was the only politician that paid for a little something special.

Wall street is sucking America dry, and all we do is argue left or right. Con or Lib. We have 46,000 people dying ever year because they can’t get adequate health care, and “conservatives” cheer, and want more!!!!

I got mine now shut up and die. If keeping you alive isn’t profitable, then you die.

Baird should be a little more progressive if he wants to make America better. If he wants to help destroy our nation, then he should be primaried.

…the vast political space now emerging to the left of Baird, a space I believe is inhabited by a majority of his constituents…

You sure about that one? 3rd CD goes twice for Bush this decade, but the “majority” is to the left of Baird?

And do you remember who had that seat before Baird? A conservative Christian who first won the seat as a write-in.

Now I know there have been population shifts, and I’m not saying Linda Smith could hold the district today. But Olympia (at least the part in the 3rd) and the rural areas of the 3rd have stayed pretty much the same over the past 20 years. Only Vancouver has changed, and I don’t believe they’ve grown SO much that they shifted the district to the left of Baird, when just 15 years they WROTE IN an ultra-right-winger, and just 5 years ago they voted for George W. Bush.

3rd CD goes twice for Bush this decade, but the “majority” is to the left of Baird?

Some actual numbers: In 2004, 2006, and 2008, Democratic candidates for President, Governor, and US Senator received from 48% to 54%, averaging 51%, including majorities for Obama, Murray, and Gregoire (in 2008, not 2004).

Bush won majorities too, but small ones.

And back in the day, Smith just barely squeaked by. She beat Unsoeld with 52% only after the previous Republican candidate blasted Unsoeld with $2 million in negative ads. (That candidate then dropped out, allowing Smith to win the write-in in the primary election with the official backing of the Republican party. Everyone forgets that last part.) Then, Smith beat Baird in 1996 with just 50.2%.

In other words, the district is evenly split between the parties.

But Baird averaged 63% in the past three elections, a solid 12 points above other Democrats. One could argue that Baird wins those votes because he is a bit more conservative. Or one could argue that, because Baird wins those votes, he can safely cast a few progressive votes.

Though he probably shouldn’t impersonate Jim McDermott, Baird could vote progressive on key issues and still easily win re-election. If he votes conservative anyway, the only explanations I can see are either his fear of losing is stronger than his desire to vote progressive, or he actually has no desire to vote progressive. And if either of those are true, I’m prepared to support someone against him.

You could be correct, Pete. But Baird’s vote on this issue is not going to garner even one more conservative vote. There would have been absolutely no political downside to voting yes.

So why did he?

Oh I’m not defending the vote, and your I think you’re analysis here is right, at least on this issue. I’m just saying, overall, I don’t know if somebody much to the left of Baird could carry the 3rd.

Now this is just my intuition, I fully admit I could be proven completely wrong. But I would hate to see Baird go down in a primary and then get stuck with a Republican loon. Look at who the Republicans ran last year: a guy who wanted to have Ron Paul’s babies, and a Republican State Committeewoman.

Think of it this way: I pull out a $5 bill and start to hand it to you. Then I pull it back and say: “you can have this $5 now, or we can flip a coin, and if it’s heads you’ll get the $20 in my pocket, but if it’s tails, you owe me $5.” If you could somehow play this game over and over, you’d be best off flipping the coin. But you only get one shot on this. Me? I’ll take the guaranteed $5, because I like easy money and then I can spend time doing other things, like in the 18th LD. I also HATE it when I have to take $5 out of my wallet. Spot the analogies?

I wish there were enough people in the Oly area so we could have our own district. Let Baird represent the loons in the land of Smith and Craswell

Not to be nitpicky or anything, but Craswell lived in Poulsbo, so . . . 1st CD. What district lies between the 1st and 3rd? The 6th. Which is full of all those Norm Dicks and Tim Shelton “Democrats.” The crazies are everywhere, no matter which way you slice it.

1. someone ANYONE in the 3d, just announce. 2. be internet sensation, go on Madow, etc. 3. raise $500,000 from democrats nationwide in one month. 4. this will incite others to run, too, and a truly strong candidate will emerge.

Hey, Dan Savage said he would run for mayor in SEattle and look what happened there!

i think the top two thing also plays into it….if a republican runs and is strong Baird might not even make it into the general election.

It’s fairly useless to sit and moan on the internet, someone has to RUN.

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